2011 Mini Cooper

MY VEHICLE STARTED EXPERIENCING MECHANICAL ISSUES AT 78000 MILES. THESE ISSUES INCLUDED THE WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND MOST CONCERNING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM. I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES FOR THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP WHICH WAS AROUND 2500$ I LATER GOT A LETTER ABOUT THE WATER PUMP REGARDING A CLASS ACTION. WHICH I'M HOPING TO BE REIMBURSED FOR. SO THE AIRBAG ... =( ..I'VE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE MINI WILLINGLY LOOK INTO THE COMPLAINT WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. I CANNOT GET A REASONABLE RESPONSE FROM THEM REGARDING MY COMPLAINT. I AM DIRECTED TO GO TO MY LOCAL MINI DEALER. WHEN HAVING THE OTHER REPAIRS DONE THEY WOULD NOT PERMANENTLY ENABLE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM BUT COULD "LOOK" AT IT FOR 125$ SINCE OTHERS HAVE QUOTED THIS REPAIR COSTING UPWARDS OF 2000$ I DECLINED. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE OTHER REPAIRS. MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE AN OVER RIDE FOR THIS BEING A KEY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T BEING ADDRESSED WITH PREVIOUS RECALLS AND MANY CONSUMER COMPLAINTS. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY AS DESCRIBED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS. I'M ONLY ADDING MY COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT IT HELPS MYSELF AND OTHERS RESOLVE THE ISSUE. I WANT TO ALSO NOTE THAT I PURCHASED SEVERAL WARRANTIES WITH THIS VEHICLE. WHICH WERE NOT HONORED AND CANNOT GET A REFUND FOR. ONE WARRANTY INCLUDED DAMAGE TO THE SEATS AND WOULD BE REPAIRED. I FEEL LIKE THESE WARRANTIES SHOULD BE REIMBURSED SINCE NO WORK IS BEING DONE IN REGARDS TO ALL THE ISSUES I'VE HAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER NOT TO AFFECT THE AIR BAG FUNCTIONALITY. UPON SHIFTING THE WEIGHT ON THE SEAT, THE LIGHTS NEAR THE ODOMETER ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

I AM THE OWNER OF THIS CAR. I HAVE RESEARCHED ON LINE THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE OF THIS CAR. MANY MANY COMPLAINTS ARE LISTED AND YOU ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I SUPPOSEDLY NEED TO REPLACE SOME PARTS AND LABOR TO THE TUNE OF $1904!!! I AM ON A FIXED INCOME AND I DO NOT HAVE THIS MONEY. SINCE YOU HAVE ISSUED A RECALL FOR CONVERTIBLES IN THE MINI AND RECALLED CARS IN THE BMW LINE FOR THIS, WHY ISN'T THIS A COVERED EXPENSE? IT SEEMS LIKE THE CAR IS SET UP TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THE CUSTOMERS ARE LEFT TO WORRY ABOUT FIXING IT. ANY PRODUCT THAT HAS A DEFECT AND IS STILL SOLD NEEDS TO SHOW RESPECT FOR THEIR BUYERS AND FIX THINGS THAT ARE WELL KNOWN AS PROBLEMS. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS AND I AM OFTEN IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. IF ANYTHING HAPPENS DUE TO THE AIR BAG NOT CONNECTED CORRECTLY I FEEL THAT ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE MINI/BMW PLANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE. YOU HAVE FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND YOU ARE PUTTING PROFIT BEFORE CONSUMERS. THIS IS A DISGUSTING WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS.

TIMING CHAIN ISSUE LEAD TO OIL LEAK IN ENGINE. 2008-2010 MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED AFTER A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. MY MODEL IS ONE YEAR OUTSIDE THE OFFICIAL BMW RECALL. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THAT'S WHEN THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME I COULDN'T DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE REPAIRS. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS NEARLY $2000 SINCE I AM ALSO OUTSIDE OF MY WARRANTEE PERIOD. I HAVE READ THAT IF THIS ISSUE WASN'T FOUND, IT COULD LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE EITHER WHEN IDLE OR DRIVING. I AM LUCKY NOT TO HAVE SUSTAINED INJURIES OR INCUR FURTHER COSTS. OTHER 2011 MINI COOPER DRIVERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE SINCE THERE HAS BEEN NO OFFICIAL WARNING FROM BMW. BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

LETTER FROM SENATOR FLAKE ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2011 MINI COOPER. (PLEASE RESPOND BY FAX OR ELECTRONIC MAIL: BOB_BRUBAKER@FLAKE.SENATE.GOV). *SMD THE CONSUMER RECEIVED EXTREMELY, PAINFUL , SCARING BURNS FROM THE HOT EXHAUST PIPE WHILE LEANING OVER TO RETRIEVE ITEMS FROM THE TRUNK. THE CONSUMER STATED IF ONE IS FACING THE CENTER TRUNK, THE HOT EXHAUST PIPE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY TO THE RIGHT, APPROXIMATELY 10 INCHES OFF THE GROUND. THE METAL IS NOT COATED TO OFFER PROTECTION. *JB UPDATED 03/07/16.*JB UPDATED 04/11/16.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MINI COOPER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED EVEN WHEN THE ACCERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.